Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-04
ELECTRIC RAILWAY.
Opening Of the New Bail
way to Public Travel.
SUCCESS OF THE NEW MOTOR
Popular Dem mOnstratiOn in Favor
of Electricity on PicO
Street.

The opening of the Electric Railway
on Pico street, from it's intersection with
South Main street to the Electric Home
stead Tract, distance of three miles.
on Sunday last, proved q magnificent
success. At twelve o'clock on Sunday |
some two thousand people were oongre-
gated at the starting point to witness the
Inauguration of the first electric road
ever built on the coast. Two sections
were started for the terminus ut twelve
o'clock. The first section consisted of
motor car and one passenger coach OF
invited guests and members of the press,
who were as anxious to witness the ap.
plication of the electric energy to the
motors as were the rabble, who were as
s'curious to see the thing work" ~ the
untutored Indians when the Western
Union men were hanging the line down
the HUMBOLDT on the first overland cir
crit across the continent. Both trains
started off but . few hundred yards
apart and kept up speed of between
seven and eight miles an hour
over that portion of the road that had
been put in condition for service. Some
little difficulty was experienced in that
portion of the road where the wheels of
the motors aud overloaded coaches ran
on the plank instead Of the iron rail.
This, as well a. the heating of the box
ing of the main shaft at the engine house
wnl soon be overcome, when a speed OF
eight miles an hour can be accomplished
over the entire road. The success OF the
road is more than assured by the trips
made yesterday and day before. To.
day the members Of the City Council
and representatives of the press will 60
over the road and imbibe the pure ozone
coming up from Santa Monica, only
twelve miles away. Sunday was q red
letter day for Colonel Rowland and Gen.
eral Bouton. who so patiently worked
up and enlisted monied men to join them
in one of the most important enterprises
ever inaugurated in this city. Among
the monied men of the city who graced
the occasion with their presence was U.
w. Childs, Geo. H. Bonobrake,
who is the President of the
road, Gen. 4. Bouton, Vice. President,
Capt. A. w. Barrett, DR.. J. D. Dunlap
and several other prominent Angelefios
who have witnessed the transformation
scene Of Los Angeles from country
borough to one Of the liveliest and most
enterprising cities of the continent.
The congratulations of the 1000 passen-
gers and lookers-on on this occasion
were as enthusiastic in their congratula-
, tions to the managers and stock kholders
] of the line, as were those Of the stock.
holders of the road. When it is known
that the incorporation of this company
was not perfec ed until last September,
and that thousand obstacles were over.
come, and that the road was successfully
naugurated on the End of January, the
result seems almost incredible. The
capital stock of this company, who have
franchise for thirteen miles of road, il
SlOO, 900, with the privilege Of enlareine
their capital stock to $500, 600
They have expended $50. 900 up tt
the present time, and will pro
ceed at once to extend theil
. road along East Pico to Maple street, uT
Maple to Seventh and Los Angeles
streets, and thence to the Plaza, oppo
site the Pico House. The company also
| lntenO 10 extenO their TOuu III D SUusu
erly direction from Maple street to the
southern part of the city, a. may asem
most urgent in the development OF the
city. 1t is we'll to say that all the pat
ents and franchises of the modern i'm.
provements that attach to this system
Of electric roads, including the applica'
ton of the energy derived from the dy.
} namo by this patent, for this coast, are
owned and controlled by this enterpris'
ing combination of Los Angeles capital
and energy who were the first to
brave the hazard of introducing the cleo.
trio roads on the Pacific coast at Los
Angeles. This read will be formally
opened to run under time schedule
some time this week. 1t is understoo
the company will soon erect pavilion
and improve the grounds near the pres.
ent terminus as pleasure resort for our
crowded city. Too much credit cannot
be awarded to Col. G. H. Rowland and
his company for their persistent energy
and monumental enterprise in furnisbir 6
this city with an electric light and cleo
trio railway system, that have put this
city in advance of San Francisco aud
many larger cities in the United States,
as is the city of San Bernardino ahead
of the enterprising city OF Auguta,
Maine.